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A guide to the best security practices for mobile app development. Protect your business from cyber security threats by protecting your app and user information.
The world is continuing to embrace the digital landscape at a rate that can be challenging to keep up with. A recent report by Dell Technologies revealed that 80% of companies are adopting new business models to incorporate a strategy that empowers remote work and mobile access. Mobile app development is a significant aspect of these strategies, considering apps have become the main way of interacting with the world, both on a personal and consumer level. While this emerging digital world brings a lot of opportunities, it also brings a new set of cyber-security threats.
There’s been a massive uptick in cyber security attacks with the potential of one event costing millions of dollars in losses. Companies investing large sums of funding into their digital platforms want to ensure they are secure, safe, and protected from ransomware and hackers. For your mobile app to be successful, you want to implement the best security practices that will protect both your information and your clients. Follow these security best practices when developing and securing a mobile app.
Mobile app development should involve security at every stage. Implementing the necessary security measures from the very start will ensure there are no expensive fixes in the future. Having a checklist of security measures and testing your security throughout the stages of development can make for a smoother process and stronger results. Using tools like the OWASP mobile security testing guide for reference can help ensure you're staying consistent and following the right protocol.
When developing a mobile app, one of the most important security measures is making sure you’re writing strong code. Weak or poor code will make your app an easier target for malicious hackers. It may seem an obvious task to secure code, but it continues to be a pain point that attracts cyber threats every year. It’s crucial to test your code, fix bugs, and strengthen it so it cannot be reverse-engineered. It’s best not to include any access keys, passwords, or identifiable information in your source code. There are a lot of minor details to take into consideration, for example, using only simple error codes that don’t give too much information away. This may seem like a small aspect, but it goes a long way in increasing security and keeping hackers unable to attack.
Another leading cause of cyber hacking is weak authentication methods. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can enhance your companies security measures by requiring multiple forms of identity when logging in. There are three options for MFA. The first is intellectual knowledge, such as a pin or security question. The second is a physical verification through a verified phone number or email address. The third is biometric verification such as a fingerprint or face ID. Traditional passwords just are not enough anymore, and employing a single password policy will make your security vulnerable. Multi-Factor Verification is a highly effective, low-cost security option to protect your important information.
Encrypting your data protects your confidential digital information to keep it inaccessible to unauthorized users. The process itself is pretty straightforward. Essentially, encryption takes plaintext and scrambles it into unreadable information The unreadable information has a key that can decode it into readable information for authorized users. This kind of protection ensures important data doesn’t end up in the wrong hands. There are different options for how to encrypt your data, but ensuring all personally identifiable information (PII) and user data are securely encrypted will protect your app. Plus, users will feel safer knowing your mobile app takes the extra security measure.
For some, the advantages of third-party libraries are vast. Third-party libraries can provide access to pre-tested code that meets your complex needs and saves time, but they also pose security risks. If you’re going to use third-party libraries, it’s important to choose high-quality, trusted sources. Libraries often have crowdsourced evaluations that let you read reviews and ratings of different libraries. You can even quickly go through the code yourself and see how well it’s written. Additionally, libraries should not be used for your core code. You want to have full autonomy over your core code, and save third-party libraries for less significant aspects-if any.
A company is only as good as its employees, and the same goes for mobile app security. If your employees aren’t adhering to the above-mentioned protocols, your efforts won’t get you very far. Anyone that has access to private information or user data should be properly informed on security measures and privacy compliance. A little extra training goes a long way when it comes to digital protection.
Make sure anyone with access to your data is using the Multi-Factor Authentication, encrypting important data, and adhering to the terms you’ve outlined in your security measures. Unfortunately, employee error is a leading cause of cyber security threats. Implementing regular training on cyber security and ransomware will help your employees identify phishing schemes, avoid security breaches, and overall keep your company and app safe.
For over a decade, Invemo LLC has been building successful mobile apps for fortune 500 companies and start-ups. Invemo has a strong understanding of the industry’s best practices and builds secure apps with full code ownership, high-security standards, and rigorous testing. If you’re looking for top-notch app development with proven results in Los Angeles, visit our website to get a quote or schedule a call.